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F. AIKEN. ELECTRIC IGNITION APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE zo, 1919.

1,375,88'51 atent Apr. 26, 1921.

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UNET@ STATES rnnn'svnvnnrn, essrenor., To nnrnon ATWATER EKA, PENNSYLVANIA.

ELECTREC IGNTN APPARATUS.

Application filed June 20,

To cl3 autom t ma/'z/ concern:

Be it known that l, FRANK Arnim, a citizen of the United States, residing in Elkins i lr, county of Montgomery, and State of le-nnsylvania, have invented certain wrnew and useful Improvements in Electric ignition Apparatus, of which the following is a specification. I

lily invention relates to electric ignition apparatus, particularly such as is employed .t

`or igniting or firing combustible mixtures in internal combustion engines.

l is the object of my invention to 1roi vide. ignition apparatus which shall be effective in' igniting explosive mixtures under adverse circumstances, such as starting in cold weather, under conditions oflow battery voltage, or under conditions widely differing as to voltage of battery or any other source of current.

To these ends l have devised vibra-ting ,jump spark apparatus having the desirable which Figure l is a diagrammatic view of ignition apparatus embodying my invention,

lig. 2 is a sectional view, some parts inv elevation, of a vibrator unit embodying my invention. u Referring to the drawing, P is the primary coil or winding of a jump spark induction coil one terminal of whose high tension secondary S is connected to ground or frame F of the engine or motor car, and whose other terminal is connected to the rotary distributer D cooperating in Well known manner with the distributer segments or contacts and connected, respectively, to the spark plugs 2U of the dierent cylinders of the internal combustion motor.

in addition to the coil P there are in the Specification of Letters Patent.

Fa'tented Apr., 26, 192i.

1919. Serial No. 305,664.

primary circuit of the induction coil the source of current or storage battery B, switch s, resistance R, and timer 0r interrupter contacts 2') and c, the latter connected to the ground or frame F, as is also one terminal of the battery B, it being understood, however, that my invention is not limited to a system involving grounding` as herein described. rlhe interrupter Contact b is actuated by the cam Z driven in definite relation with the crank shaft of the engine or motor, and generally at half the speed of the engine shaft, the aforementioned distributer l) rotating at the same speed with the cam d, as well understood in the art. In shunt to the interrupter l), c, is connected as usual a condenser K.

ln a branch circuit is connected the vibrator mechanism comprising the spring` contact c, adapted to be pushed by the button f into engagement with the contact g connected to one terminal of the magnet coil li/J, whose other terminal connects to the vibrator V carrying the interrupter Contact it co-acting with the interrupter contact z' carried by the thin or weak leaf spring j tending to flex in such direction as to cause the Contact i to follow the contact It, the extent of movement of the contact z', however, being limited by the head 7c of a screw or rivetextending freely through an aperture in the spring and carried by the post et. The spring 5;' is connected to the frame or ground l?. in shunt to the interrupter contacts It and c' is connected the condenser K1.

The magnet coil M surrounds a tube or shell o of brass or other well conducting material carried by a cylindrical or other core piece g, of iron or other suitable magnetizable material, carried by the iron yoke r having the horizontally extending portion r1, Fig. 2, secured by screws t to any suitable support, as a. rllhe screws t may en` j e in the closing cap u1 to hold the same against the base member u. Between the u1 and the base member u is formed a cavity in which are located the aforesaid spring contacts e and g, the push button extending through the cap u1 for actuation on the contact c, the push button carrying transversely extending pin f1 which enlgages in suitable slots or depressions to lock the push button f, and therefore the spring e in either the circuit closing or circuit opening position.

The vibrator member' V is preferably of iron or other suitable magnetizable material and has its lower end disposed oppo site the tree end of the member ffl and is supported thereon by the short easily flexed lcat spring o, which in ellect constitutes the pivot of the yibrator V, the spring o being secured to both the under side of the member 'r1 and to the lower end of the vibrator V, as indicated in i magnetizable armature or solenoid core member w is secured at its one end to the vibrator V and has at its other end the head or enlargement feel of magnetizable material presented to the end of the riagnctisable core member Q, in the end of which n ay be disposer a button Q1 of non-niagnctieable material to prevent the head co1 from contacting with the end oi g', which due to remanent magnetisi i i ld the Vibrator "if in the open ircuit The interruptor contact i may b sted as to its position by the screw in, w -o:-- aoiusinent will fier; thc upper end or the post standard m.

`lli/while in Fig. 2 i have shown my vibrator structure assembled as a unit, it will be understood that my invention is not limited thereto, since thc pats may be assembled, disposed or mounec` in any suitafI le way.

The operation is follows:

ssuming die motor desired to start the same, cold weather whe: the source B, when a storage battery, may have an ell-ctive roltagc which is approximately only one-third ot its normal voltage at ordinary temperatures, the operator closes the switch 3 and pushes the button j", bringing the contact c into engagement vith contact g, thereby closing the branch circuit through the vibrator mechanism. The engine is then turned over or cranked by hand or by the usual electric motor energized Jtrom any suitable battery, as for example, ine aforesaid battery l. rlhe cam Z and distributor D rotate in unison, and the interrupter contact 7; periodically engages and separates from its companion c. With the spark control lever r ardcd to such position that the contact I) separates from contact c at a position of the piston of the cylinder nei" to be lired beyond dead center in the outward or power stroke, the magnet M is ener," attractingT the core structure w, 'w1 small weight or inertia toward the lett, Eig. breaking circuit at the contacts le, and energizing the magnet, causing re'e'sta ment of the circuit, followed by a second break, and so on. The current in the primary P is accordingly established and broken rapidly a number of times in succession, each circuit rupture producing a spark at the spark plug of the cylinder referred ai rescand that it is in etremely to. With the contacts ZJ and c in circuit closing position, the operation of the vibr tor mechanism will not produce sparks at the plugs, or at any rate, will not produce sparks of sullicient energy to ignite the combustible mixture. But upon separation of the contact 7o from Contact c all the current through the primary P is interrupted at 71 e', with the production or eil'ective sparks. rllie shower or succession of sparks posi- YLiyely ignitcs tie mint. ire and the engine and continues to run, the operator hereafter releasing the push button to cut vibrating mechanism out of circuit, eroupon the single spark system, coned by contacts o and c, continues to ii in tic usual and well known mana spark being produced at r upon each radon cli the Contact 7J from its com- 7 flut-L ,i .c ,v yil rato; mec iainsin or the character is particularly suitable in that notwithstanding wide ranges in the el'lective voltage oL the source or of any other source or current which may be emplA yed, Vcquency or rapidity or action of the yibrator remains substantially constant7 whereby whether the source olf current have low or high olcctive voltage, the frequency ot ojpieration will remain subsantially the same, always producing a series of effective las and the average value of 'the current, isured` for example, by :i u i r or aininetcr ot' ADilrrs@nysl i type, the primary l) and the vibrator in remains substantially constant "iiout a relatively wide variation in "e of the source of current.

desirable characteristics of opera- .,i'e contributed to by the small weight iner ia of the moving system of the vibrator mechanism, and particularly the movable core structure w, w1, and by the tube or shell o ol material olf good conductivity in which currents are induced of such Vnti Les as to produce magneto-motives reacting with the magneto-motiveliorce produced by the magnet coil M as to maintain substantially constant the forces upon the core struc-'cure i throughout wide variation in voltage oi.l the source B and by reaction causing the avercurrent aboyc referred to to remain substantially constant twithstanding relatively wide changes in voltage of the source, as B.

By way of example, it may be stated that where storage battery, as B, ot six cells, such as used commonly in 19 volt systems on automobiles, the ei'lective voltage of such source may under very low temperature conicl fao.

ditions, such as sometimes obtain in winter in northern territory, be reduced to approximately four volts, which would often or generally be unsuitable for ignition purposes with the usual single spark system, such, for example, as involves contact mechanism like the above described contacts b, c controlled by cam cl. Yet with the vibrator mechanism constructed and operating as described, a series or shower of sparlrs is given for each interruption of the contacts b, c, the frequency or rapidity of succession of the sparks, dependent upon the frequency of the vibrator V, remaining substantially constant.

By employing a magnet or solenoid structure as described, the end or head 'w1 of the movable core structure is located substantially at the 'middle of the length of the solenoid or magnet winding where the magnetic field is a maximum. This is of importance particularly at the low voltages, this structure insuring at such low voltages sufficient magneto-motive-force and flux to cause the vibrator to act; yet with higher voltages due to the effect of the tube 0 the magnetic attractive forces do not materially increase, with the aforesaid result that the frequency of vibration remains substantially constant with a substantially constant primary current, with resultant substantially uniform ,fatness of sparlror spark heat.

`While it will be understood that the re` sistance R may be omitted, if used it serves to prevent too great current flowing in the primary circuit in case the switch s is left closed and the contact Z) should remain, when the engine stops, in engagement with contact c. The resistance R may be of any suitable material, either of a metal having high positive temperature coefficient or one having zero or substantially no temperature coefficient, as may be desired. laowever, the magnitude of resistance R is never made so great that at highest engine speeds the magnitude of the primary current will be insuflicient for producing effective or suliiciently hot sparks.

As an example of structure embodied in my invention, which, however, is not limited thereto, a vibratory mechanism which will operate satisfactorily throughout a range of voltage from t toV 18 volts, and preferably employed in a l2 volt ignition system, may

comprise a magnet winding M of S6 turns of No. 2l Brown l: Sharpe gage copper wire, associated with a sleeve c of brass, approximately 60% copper, having a length of about nine-sixteenths of an inch, internal diameter five-siKteent-hs of an inch, and thickness .O36 inch. Such structure, in combination with an induction coil primary P of approximately llG turns, resistance approximately 2.24 ohms, associated with an iron core structure about ve inches long and inch diameter, satisfactorily interrupts the primary current at approximately 126 times per second, with a frequency variation in this respect of about ten per cent. above and below the aforesaid normal frequency throughout the aforementioned voltage range. Vllith the timer contacts Z), c, open, and the cam d stationary, the average current in the vibrator mechanism is .24 ampere varying above and below that value about .O2 am i ere throughout the aforesaid voltage range.

-What l claim is l. Ignition apparatus comprising the combination with an induction coil, of a source of current, vibrator mechanism interrupting the primary circuit of said induction coil at substantially constant frequency throughout a wide range of variation of effective voltage of said source of current, said mechanism comprising a magnet winding in series with the primary winding of said induction coil, a stationary core member, a movable core member, an interrupter contact moved by said movable core member, and a closed circuit tube associated with said winding.

2. Ignition apparatus comprising the combination with an induction coil, of a source of current, and vibrator mechanism interrupting the primary circuit of said induction coil and maintaining the average value of the primary current substantially constant throughout a wide range of variation of effective voltagev of said source of current, said mechanism comprising a magnet winding, a stationary core member, a movable core member, an interrupter contact moved by said second core member, and a closed circuit of high conductivity associated with said magnet winding.

3. Ignition apparatus comprising the combination with an induction coil, of a source of current, and vibrator mechanism interrupting the primary circuit of said induction coil at substantially constant frequency and maintaining the average primary current substantially constant throughout a wide range in the eective voltage of said source of current, said mechanism comprising a magnet winding, a stationary core member, a movable core member, an interrupter contact moved by said movable core member, and a closed circuit tube of nonmagnetic material of good conductivity associated with said winding.

Ll. ignition apparatus comprising the combination with a source of current, of an induction coil, and vibrator mechanism for interrupting the primary circuit of said induction coil comprising a magnet winding, a stationary core member therefor terminating within said winding, a movable core member terminating adjacent said first named core member' vvithin said Winding, and an interrupter contact moved by said second named core structure.

5. Ignition apparatus comprising the combination .vith a source ot current, ci' an induction coil, and vibrator mechanism tor interrupting the primar i circuit or said iuduction coil comprising a magnet Winding, a stationary core meV-fiber therefor terminating within said winding. a moi/able core member terminating adiacens said iirst named core member Within said -Winding, and an interrupter contact moved by said second named core member, the movable system ot the vibrator mechanism including said second named core member havi small inertia.

6. Ignition apparatus comprising the combination with a source ot current, ot an induction coil, and vibrator mechanism interrupting the primary circuit ot said induction coil comprising a magnet vind a stationary core member therefor terminating Within said Winding. a movable core member terminating adjacent said 1irst named core member Within said Winding, an interruptor contact moved by said second named core member, and a closed circuit tube associated with said magnet Winding and said core structures.

7. Ignition apparatus comprising the combination with a source of current, ot' an induction coil, and vibrator mechanism for interrupting the primary circuit et said induction coil comprising a winding stationary core member therefor termina Within said Winding, a movable core mei` terminating adjacent said first named member Within said Winding, an inter" I contact moved by said second namei member, and a closed circuit tube magnetic material ot good conductivity associated With said core members and said magnet Winding.

S. Ignition apparatus comprising the combination With a source ot current, ot an induction coil, and vibrator mechanism for inn terruptinfr the primary circuit oi' said indue-- tion coil comprising a magnet Winding, a stationary core member herefor tei inating Within said Winning, a movable core member terminating adjacent said iirst named core member Within said Winding, an interruptor contact moved by said second named core member, and a closed circuit tube ot nonmagnetic material of goed conductivity intervening between said magnet Winding and said core members.

9. Ignition apparatus comprising t ie combination With a source oi current, oi an induction coil, and vibrator mechanism 'for interrupting the primary circuit of said induction coil compfising` a closed circuit tube of non-magnetic material of good conductivity, a magnet Winding surrounding the same, stationary and movable core members terminating and spaced from each other Within said tube intermediate the ends thereof, and an interruptor contact actuated by said movable core member.

10. Ignition apparatus comprising the combination with a source of current, ot an induction coil, and vibrator mechanism for interrupting the primary circuit of said induction coil comprising a closed circuit tube ot' non-magnetic material of good conductivity, a magnet Winding surrounding the same, stationary and movable core members terminating and spaced from each other Within said tube intermediate the ends thereoi, vibrator supporting said movable core member and constituting therewith a moving system having small inertia, and an rupter contact actuated by said movable core member.

ll. Ignition apparatus comprising the combination ivith a source ot current, oi an induction coil, and vibrator mechanism for interrupting the primary circuit of said induction coil at substantially constant irequency throughout Wide variations in the effective voltage of said source ot' current comprising a closed circuit tube ot non-magnetic material of good conductivity, a maget v`-.vi'nding disposed upon said tub', stationary core meml er projecting into .ed 'tube and 'terminating intermediate the ends a movable core member comprising a stem and a head thereon vsithin said tubU adjacent the end ot said stationary core member, a vibrator carrying said movable core member and forming therewith a movable system having small inertia, and an intcrrupter contact actuated by said vibrator.

12. Ignition apparatus comprising the combination with a source ot current, ot an induction'coil, and vibrator mechanism tor interrupting the primary circuit of said induction coil comprising a magnet Winding, a stationary core member therefor terminating Within said Winding, a movable core member terminating adjacent said first named core member Within said Winding, magnetizable material connected with said core members and completing the magnetic circuit external to said Winding, an interrupter contact moved by said movable core member, and a closed circuit tube associated With said magnet Winding and said core members.

13. Ignition apparatus comprising the combination with a source of current, of an induction coil, and vibrator mechanism for interrupting the primary circuit of saifl inwww.

duction coil comprising a magnet winding, Y

stationary and movable core members terminating and spaced from each other Within said winding, a magnetic yoke structure connected to one oi' said core members and partially completing the magnetic circuit eX- ternal to said Winding, a magnetizable vibratory member carrying the other of said core members and With said yoke structure completing the magnetic circuit or" said Winding, an interrupter contact actuated by said vibratory member, and a closed circuit of high conductivity associated with said core members and said magnet Winding.

14. Ignition apparatus comprising the combination with a source of current, of an induction coil, and vibrator mechanism for interrupting the primary circuit of said induction coil comprising a magnet winding, a stationary core member, a movable core member, an interrupter contact moved by said movable core member, said movable core member and said contact constituting a movable system having small inertia, and a closed circuit of high conductivity associated With said Winding.

l5. ignition apparatus comprising the combination with a source of current, of an induction coil, and vibrator mechanism for interrupting the primary circuit of said induction coil comprising a magnet winding external to said induction coil, a stationary core member therefor terminating Within said Winding, a movable core member terminating adjacent said stationary core member Within said Winding, and an interrupter contact moved by said movable core structure.

Xn testimony whereof I have hereunto aiixed my signature this lthday of June, 1919.

FRANK A'IKEN. 

